Chapter One
I’m sorry. I’m a chicken, but I don’t drive in snow. I know you’ll have a blast with the other girls. Think of me as you finish that second bottle of wine tonight. See you soon.
I stared at the text, groaned, and tossed my phone on the couch. Apparently, Gina didn’t know I’d already gotten texts from our other three friends bagging out on our girls’ weekend because of the freak snowstorm.
One way or another, I was going to enjoy a spa weekend with the girls, or more aptly a girl. A weekend in the woods with me, myself, and, I, with no worries or stress from home, and it would start with the first at-home spa treatment.
Grabbing the plastic wrap, I looked around the cozy cabin I’d rented for a spring getaway—spring being the keyword—and suddenly wondered if I should hightail it out of the mountains too. I plopped on the oversized, red microfiber chair, draped my legs over the arms, and stared at all the groceries I’d hauled with me.
This wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned when I begged all my friends to ditch their men and come up to the mountains for the weekend.
I imagined us all running around with clay face masks, sipping wine, eating chips, watching movies, and dishing on everything that made us drink the third glass of vino.
I didn’t mind being the only single female among all my friends, but sometimes it was just nice to get away without feeling like a third wheel.
Now, I was left with four family-sized bags of potato chips, three bags of corn chips, two gigantic cheese and meat platters, a sandwich platter, frozen hot wings, too many bottles of wine to admit to, juice, and cupcakes that took up the entire kitchen counter.
Actually, that wasn’t really a negative.
More of a challenge, and one I would happily accept if needed, which was why I still clung to the plastic wrap.
I’d wanted to make this a completely girly weekend, which wasn’t something that exactly came easy to me. I was more of a no makeup and wet hair in a bun kind of girl. The one exception was that I got weekly manicures because I was also the hand model where I worked, modeling the lavender hand creams.
Anyway, I’d heard a lot about belly wraps, so I did a little DIY investigating and figured if we all wrapped our waists in cling wrap, we’d sweat out all the toxicities like tortilla chips and guacamole or so goes the legend.
Truth be told, I could never in good conscience consider chips of any kind toxic.
I’d also read that if a person were really advanced, they’d coat the cling wrap with coconut oil—because according to Pinterest that stuff worked on everything—and wrap the legs, arms, and stomach of the willing participant. Now, I knew the wrap wouldn’t make me lose weight, but it would make me feel proactive as I gorged myself on all the snacks I bought.
On that note, I stood, lifted my grey sweatshirt, and began tugging and pulling the overly clingy plastic around my waist until I felt like I’d lost at least one size. I glanced at myself in the reflection of the flat-screen television and rubbed my shiny stomach. Spa treatment number one had officially commenced.
When I’d arrived this morning, the sun was shining and the temperature neared sixty. How this all happened in a matter of hours only the man upstairs fully knew, but now I was left with a huge decision.
Stay or Go?
I glanced out the window and saw the snow coming down in more frenzied bursts as if it had a mission to keep me here. It wasn’t the fluffy kind of snow. It was the icy kind that made everything slippery the moment the flakes touched the ground and refroze.
I shivered and hugged myself. I’d only brought three pairs of yoga pants, sweatshirts, a couple pairs of shorts for my overly optimistic—or naïve—outlook on spring in the Northwest, and a lightweight jacket.
I noticed the small amount of stacked wood next to the fireplace. If I were to stay, I’d definitely need more wood. I wandered over to the front door and swung it open, surprised to see a set of footprints leading away from my front door. There hadn’t been a knock, so why’d they come and go without a word, whoever they were?
The tracks were at least double my size six feet and the width looked like a Sasquatch had been visiting. I glanced in the direction of the trail, and it appeared the tracks went in the direction of the main lodge, but I also noticed a path to the living room window, which was a little odd in a scary movie kind of way. I knitted my brows in confusion right before a blast of cold air blew in, and I quickly shut the door.
Seeing the footprints on the porch was a little unnerving. So much so that if I hadn’t only packed flip-flops and a pair of sneakers I’d make my way to the lodge and ask who was snooping and why.
I itched the plastic under my sweatshirt, unsure how much of this I could really take, and walked over to the kitchen for a bowl of chips while I contemplated my options.
It wasn’t like I was afraid of driving in snow. I’d grown up in Colorado, but I was smart enough to not put myself in dangerous situations, which was why I completely understood my friends not wanting to make the trek once they saw the forecast.
The very forecast I knew wasn’t accurate. Guessed wrong on that one.
But being leery of weathermen started long ago. One very misguided weatherman changed the entire course of my love life.
Maybe that was a little exaggerated, but it certainly started my love life. Enough about that.
Decision made.
I would stay and I’d pamper myself. I’d smear clay on my face in silent protest, pour some wine, eat some cheese and enjoy the peace and quiet that Netflix would offer.
Err…I mean the peace and quiet the mountains would offer. Either way, it sounded like heaven.
I picked up my phone and quickly texted back Gina. I didn’t want her to feel bad.
Okay, maybe I did a little.
Totally understand. It looks like the girls’ weekend turned to a girl weekend-lol. Better luck next year! I’m about to pop a cork, gnaw on some prosciutto, and binge on Netflix.
She texted back almost instantly.
Oh no! I feel horrible. We definitely owe you. You name it. We’ll do it. Maybe there will be a sexy hunk lurking in the woods.
I giggled and texted back. The idea of anyone, no matter how hot, lurking in the woods was really creepy.
Careful what you promise…I could come up with some humdingers in IOUs! And no to strange men! I’ll just enjoy myself and a dozen cupcakes all by myself… thank you very much.
I smiled, turned on the television, and began surfing through the Netflix options as I crunched on potato chips. I wasn’t embarrassed to admit that I was beyond thrilled to find out that these cabins had wi-fi and Netflix. Hildie, my aunt and current employer, suggested this place. It had looked really cute online, but it was even more darling in person.
The stone fireplace was in the corner of the great room, which opened into the dining and kitchen area. A large wrought-iron chandelier hung in the dining room and a rustic white pine coffee table centered the room, where a tan sectional wrapped the wall, along with two oversized red chairs. It actually reminded me a lot of my parents’ home in Colorado.
Finding the perfect show to begin, I clicked my selection and wandered over to the fireplace to get some heat going.
This was going to be a great weekend.
Once the fire was roiling, the groceries put away, the clay mask rubbed all the way down my neck, and glass of wine by my side, I finally sank onto the couch with another bowl of chips and a plate full of meats and cheeses.
I let out a long drawn-out sigh and felt all the stress leave my body. Moving from Colorado to Hound Island off the coast of Washington had certainly been an unexpected move, but I’d prided myself in being somewhat impulsive. I didn’t want to be stuck in life because I was afraid to take risks and that even spilled over into my love life.
I turned up the volume and took another sip of wine.
Alone time was exactly what I needed. Albeit, I’d never do this dumb wrap again because finding a comfortable position as it pinched and sucked me in from every direction was impossible. The plastic either dug into my sides or rolled up on my back. I really wasn’t a spa girl.
In fact, by the time I’d finished my second glass of wine and plate of snacks, it was downright awful, but I couldn’t find the end piece to start unwrapping myself. I stood up and frantically began looking for a way to get the slippery plastic off.
As the music built on the Netflix show, so did my anxiety. I seriously couldn’t get this wrap off of me.
All the moving and twisting on the couch had somehow turned the plastic into a tangled suit of armor, and I vowed to never go cheap on spa treatments again.
No.
I vowed never to do spa treatments.
Period.
I wanted to scream, but the mask on my face made it nearly impossible to sip my wine, let alone open my mouth. I saw myself in the reflection in a mirror and couldn’t believe what I was looking at. My brown hair stuck out in several directions from the top of my ponytail, and my brown eyes were the only visible sign there was life behind the dried, muddy mess.
A loud knock at my door nearly made me jump out of the cling wrap. I reached up to touch my face and felt the grainy clay under my fingers.
This wasn’t good.
Or maybe it was perfect because no one would be able to recognize me once I rinsed it off.
Another knock echoed into the room, only this time it was louder.
“Miss Sahler?” A deep, sexy voice came through the solid wood door. “Are you inside?”
I ran my fingers along my cheeks, but the grime wouldn’t come off. I shut my eyes, took in a deep breath before letting out a long yes in the form of a groan.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
There was a familiar cadence lacing his words, but I couldn’t quite place it.
“Yes, sorry. May I ask who it is?” I peeked out the window and saw the left side of the man who fit the footprints perfectly.
Whoever was standing at my door had to be over six-feet tall, but I could only see the side of him. Considering he was holding a bundle of wood, he seemed like an important person to let in my life.
“I wanted to drop off some more wood for your fireplace. I didn’t exactly expect it to snow like this or I would have stocked up your cabin.” He was still talking as I reached for the door. “I don’t really trust weathermen. It’s this whole crazy thing from when I was a kid.”
I pulled open the door and froze in place. If my jaw could drop, it would have, but it was firmly cemented in place thanks to the clay mask.
“Kyle?” I mouthed, barely above a whisper.
“In the flesh.” He smiled, holding a bundle of wood, his eyes narrowing on me. “It’s good to see you, Brooke.”
Kyle North all grown up.
Darn him!
He looked good.
My gaze fell to the wood floor, and I felt my cheeks redden. I said a silent thank you to the heavens above for this clay mask. He wasn’t the man I wanted to blush in front of, anything in front of actually, considering our past.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
My eyes flew to his, and I felt an immediate charge.
Just like old times.
“Didn’t Hildie tell you?” his low, gravelly voice teased me almost as much as his gaze.
His sapphire-blue eyes nearly took my breath away, just like all those years ago. But I’d matured a lot since our teenage tryst. I no longer got tripped up by silly things like eye color, sexy smiles, or muscular builds.
Surprisingly, tree forts no longer did it for me either.
“Tell me what?” I crossed my arms and grimaced the moment my elbow pinched the plastic wrap into my belly.
“You okay?” His dark brows shot up, and he seemed genuinely concerned.
“Fine. Just a little spa thing I’ve got going on. Anyway, what did my aunt so aptly forget to tell me before recommending this place?” I rubbed my stomach through my sweatshirt.
“I don’t think face masks are supposed to hurt like that.”
“It’s not the mask that’s a problem but quit dawdling.” Between the facemask and the wrap squeezing all the life out of me, I felt empowered. Like this was my last stand and I was going to make it a good one.
“I own these cabins.” He looked proud, but I wasn’t sure if it was because he owned this property, or that he’d managed to get one by me.
“Yeah. She definitely forgot to mention that part.” I attempted to scowl, but judging by the tightness on my face, my expression never moved. “Well, they’re lovely. Your wife did a great job decorating.”
“I don’t have a wife.” He smirked, and I suddenly felt like I was sixteen again.
“Well, your decorator then.”
He shook his head. “Don’t have one of those either, but I do have wood that I’d love to drop off, so I can get out of your hair. It seems like you’ve got a busy night ahead.” He glanced at the kitchen counter with the spilled chip bag and half-empty wine bottle.
“Oh, sorry. Yeah. Totally.” I stepped aside, and he walked over to the fireplace and knelt down to organize the split wood into the cubbyhole.
There was no doubt about it.
He was no longer the teenager I’d seen last. He’d grown into a full-blown man, at least four inches taller, totally built, with broad shoulders and muscular legs that shouldn’t be noticed in the least, but it was his fault for wearing such snug jeans.
He stood and spun around before I had time to remove my gaze so I pretended to adjust my ponytail.
“Well, it’s nice of you to take care of your guests considering your apparent stubbornness and total disregard of hardworking weathermen everywhere.”
His eyes fell to my flip-flops before he brought his gaze back to mine.
“You’re my only guest.” The corner of Kyle’s mouth turned up slightly. “Hildie convinced me to open one of my cabins early for you. I generally wait until May to open the doors for obvious reasons.” A collision of emotion thrashed behind Kyle’s gaze. “And I think we both have plenty of reasons to think twice before believing weather reports. Don’t you, Brooke?”
The way he said my name whipped me right back to that moment.
The moment in time that forever connected us.
That being said, I’d fully moved on. I wasn’t one of those women who got stuck in a time capsule along with their first love.
Well, he wasn’t my first love, but my first crush.
I’d learned an invaluable lesson that summer. I never depended on a man to make me happy ever again. I made myself downright gleeful, and if a guy happened to be along for the ride, even better for him, but Kyle didn’t need to know all that.
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and kept my eyes on his as he took a step forward.
“Or did you forget about that night?” The deepness of his voice sent me over the edge.
It felt like all the air had been sucked right out of the room. My head began spinning and my pulse spiked.
“No, Kyle. I never forgot about that night.” I barely whispered before my world went dark.
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